Register Now

In order to be able to post messages on the SailNet Community forums, you must first register. Please enter your desired user name, your email address and other required details in the form below.Please note: After entering 3 characters a list of Usernames already in use will appear and the list will disappear once a valid Username is entered.

User Name:

Password

Please enter a password for your user account. Note that passwords are case-sensitive.

Password:

Confirm Password:

Email Address

Please enter a valid email address for yourself.

Email Address:

OR

Log-in

User Name

Password

Remember Me?

Human Verification

In order to verify that you are a human and not a spam bot, please enter the answer into the following box below based on the instructions contained in the graphic.

Additional Options

Miscellaneous Options

Automatically parse links in text

Automatically embed media (requires automatic parsing of links in text to be on).

Automatically retrieve titles from external links

Click here to view the posting rules you are bound to when clicking the'Submit Reply' button below

Topic Review (Newest First)

01-26-2007 04:02 PM

Freesail99

The engel 45 that I bought cost $648.00. Well worth it.

01-26-2007 03:59 PM

sailingdog

Offiline-

They do have smaller, less expensive units... and not having to remember the ice, and having to skip that part of prepping for the weekend, as well as the time you save might add up to make buying a smaller unit worthwhile.

If you figure that it takes you a half-hour to get the four bags of ice, and the amount of time you spend cleaning up after it all melts.. and multiply that by what you normally make an hour... the smaller units may make more sense than not... besides, they're awfully convenient... and not having to empty and re-load the ice box every weekend isn't even included in that yet...

01-26-2007 03:50 PM

offline2004

4 bags of ice/ weekend at $2/bag = $8

$1500/$8 = 187 weekends

187 weekends/15 weekends a year = $12 years of Ice.

I think I might be sticking to ice!!!

Thanks!

Matt

01-26-2007 03:27 PM

sailingdog

The problem is that the engine-driven systems are probably much more expensive than even a medium-sized Engel, and also require installation, which is either a fair amount of work (sweat equity) or some boat bucks.

The 64-qt unit, which can act as either a refrigerator or freezer, is about $1000.

01-26-2007 03:18 PM

BarryL

SeaFrost

Hello,

SeaFrost makes refrideration (including units that make ice). They have units that are engine driven so the don't use any battery power. They also have units that can run on dockside electricty.

My boat came with a SeaFrost engine driven system. It was installed in the early 90's. The system, which included two ice boxed convered to redrigeration, cost over $3000.

So refrigeration is expensive!

Barry

01-26-2007 12:55 PM

Freesail99

I have the Engel 45 refrigerator/ freezer. Works great and I'll second what sailingdog said.

Paul

01-26-2007 12:38 PM

sailingdog

You could also look at getting an Engel refrigerator. They have some smaller 12V portable models that are very energy efficient and low maintenance. The one I have is dual voltage, and can run off the shore power at the marina or off the 12V system when I'm out sailing.

01-26-2007 12:33 PM

Vasco

It's not just the money. It's the convenience. When you come back after a weekend you don't have to empty the fridge like you have to do with an icebox. You can leave all your stuff in it and it'll be there ready for you next Friday. Weekend cruising will not normally require larger battery banks. And everything doesn't get wet like it does in an icebox.

01-26-2007 12:27 PM

erps

You can buy a lot of ice for $1000. If it's just for weekends, I'd stick with the ice box because along with refrigeration comes bigger battery banks and the associated paraphernalia to keep them charged.

01-26-2007 10:52 AM

offline2004

Thanks for the reply's

I am only looking for weekend cruising needs (keeping the beer and the kids milk cold).

I guess I was just a little taken back by the cost of something that seems so simple... but then again it is a B.O.A.T (Bust Out Another Thousand).

Fair Winds (and hopefully warmer weather for those of us in the Mid Atlantic).

Matt

This thread has more than 10 replies.
Click here to review the whole thread.